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YNE NORR S PETERS CO PHOTO UTND WASHINGTON D (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

J. B. BROWN. OOLLAPSIBLE BOX.

No. 577,416. v Patented-Feb. 23, 1897.

(No Model.) -2 sheets-sheet 2.

' J. B. BROWN.

GOLLAPSIBLE BOX.

No. 577,416. Patented Feb. 23, 1897.

FIG,4-.

WltgTlssas UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH B. BROWN, OF LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND.

COLLAPSIBLE BOX.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 577,416, dated February 23, 1897.

Application fil d November 30, 1895- Serial No. 570,583. (No model.)

To all whont it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH BENNETT BROWN, a subject of the Queen of Great Britain, residing at Liverpool, in the county of Lancaster, in the Kingdom of England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in C01- lapsible Boxes, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has for its object a collapsible box for millinery or other articles, which can be folded up flat when empty and occupy a very small space for the purposes of packing or storage.

In carrying my invention into effect I form the sides of the box collapsible in such a manner that they will fold when so required into the space of one side.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figures 1 and 1 illustrate a square box, the parts being shown separate and the sides of the box folded; Fig. 2, another view of the same with the sides opened out and showing how the bottom can be permanently secured, so as to adapt it to stock purposes; Fig. 3, a view of the complete box when in use. Fig. 4 illustrates a rectangular box constructed according to my invention, the lid, sides, and bottom being shown apart. Fig. 5 is a plan view of the sides of the box; Fig. 6, a view showing the sides of the box in a collapsible state or partly folded. Fig. 7 shows the box empty and folded up for packing or storage purposes;

Referring to Figs. 1, 1, 2, and 3, A represents the lid of the box; B, the sides or collapsible portions O, the bottom with substantially rigid shallow sides, and D a string or cord for binding the whole together. As before mentioned, the four sides of the box are formed collapsible in such a manner that they will fold when so required into the space of one side. For this purpose they are hinged together at the edges or corners b.

The bottom 0 of the box is not attached to the sides B, but is made separate, and, moreover, is rather smaller than the sides, so that it will fit within the latter. The lid or cover A is made in a somewhat similar way, except that it fits onto the top instead of like the bottom fitting inside. A string D is passed through holes punched in the bottom 0 and carried up the sides to the top of the box,

where the ends are fastened by means of a suitably-combined handle and clip E, which enables the box to be easilycarried and, moreover, binds the whole firmly together. It is obvious that to strengthen the box, if required to be used for stock purposes, the said binding-string D may, instead of being fastened by a handle, such as E, be looped to the knobs or studs F, fixed on the inside of the two opposite sides of the box, as clearly shown in Fig. 2, thus forming a support for the bottom to prevent it falling out.

The mode of using this improved collapsible box is as follows: To fold up the box, all that is necessary is to release the string D by disconnecting it from the combined handle and clip E or the studs F and remove the lid A, lift off the sides from the bottom 0, then fold up the sides flat, as shown in Fig. 1, so as to occupy only the space of one side, and lay them flat inside the bottom, the nature of the material of which the shallow sides of the bottom is composed enabling them to stretch slightly to receive the folded sides of the box. The simplest way of doing this is to allow two opposite corners to come together, as indicated in Fig. 1, so that the sides will lie flat, and then fold these flat sides B, as shown in Fig. 1, so that the four sides shall occupy the width of one side. The lid is then put on in place, so as to cover the collapsed part, and the collapsed box will occupy a space an inch or less in thickness, very convenient for the purposes of packing or storage. WVhen thus packed, the bottom, top, or collapsed sides cannot be crushed or injured, but will be solid enough to resist any ordinary pressure or weight.

I have described one way in which the invention may be carried into effect; but it is obvious that once given the general idea alterations may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. Thus instead of forming the box with four sides any suitable number of collapsing sides may be used and the top and bottom of the box shaped accordingly. An example of this arrangement isshown in Figs. 4: to 7, inclusive, which show the invention applied to a rectangular box. In these figures the box is formed with the five sides B B B B B hinged at b b b b b The other letters of reference are the same as the other figures and will be understood by reference to the preceding deseription.

The method of folding is as follows: The side B falls inward, as shown by the arrow, Fig. 6, against the opposite rigid side B. The side B then folds onto side B until the corner b meets the corner I), and the sides B and B having in the meantime straightened out, lie flat against the sides B and B Which completes the folding. This folding of the sides enables the same to lie fiat inside the bottom 0, occupying a space of only half an inch or less in thickness. The advantages of this for packing or storage purposes will be obvious.

I claim as my inventionlVitnesses:

G. O. DYMoNI), \V. II. BEEsToN. 

